Refrigerator control



Feb. 7, 1928. 1,658,323

L. BLACKMORE REFRIGERATOR CONTROL Filed June 15. 1922 Patented Feb. 7,1928.

UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

LLOYD BLAOKMORE, OF HIGHLAND PARK, MICHIGAN, ASSlIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN-MEN'IS, TO DELOO-LIGHT COMPANY, OF DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF DELA-WARE.

REFRIGERATOR CONTROL.

Application filed June 15, 1922. Serial No. 568,534.

This invention relates to refrigerators and more particularly to thecontrolstherefor;

In refrigerators of all types and more especially in automaticallyoperated refrigo craters for small shops or for domestic purposes, it isdesirable to maintain normally a predetermined temperature and it isoften desirable to obtain temporarily a different temperature. One ofthe objects of the present invention is to provide a system having theabove characteristic and in which the temporary phase of operation maybe obtained without disrupting the control mechanism. It is commonpractice to construct "1 the refrigerator with a freezing compartmentand to provide said compartment with removable receptacles within whichwater, desserts, et'ci may be frozen. v It is advantageous and oftendesirable to modify or hasten the freezing processand one of the objectsof this invention is the provision of adjusting means for accomplishingthis function.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will appear asthe descr1ption proceeds. I

On the drawing, Fig. 1 is a front-elevation of a refrigerator, withparts broken away; and,

' Fig. 2 is a detail view, on an enlarged scale.

The adjusting device will take diiferent 4 thereon indicating to whatposition to move the hand or lever for fast ornslow freezing,

as is clearly indicated on Fig. 2 of the drawng.

For simplicity of illustration and convenience in description, therefrigerating mechanism is shown more or less diagrammaticallyand onlysuch parts of the same are shown as are necessary to-a'n understandingof the construction and operation of my invention and its application to"said'mech anism. The device is shown as being associated with anautomatically operated domestic refrigerator of the compression type inwhich a fluid thermostat is employed, but

it is understood that the same principle may be. employed on any type ofrefrigerators employing this on other forms of thermostats or otherequivalent control devices.

On the drawing, the reference character 10 designates a refrigeratorcabinet having the refrigerating or cooling chamber 11; the food orcooling compartments 12 and 13; and the lower compartment 14 forenclosing the motor 15 and the automatic controlling mechanism 16, allof which are of the usual or well-known construction.

Since the specific construction of the controlling mechanism constitutesno part of my invention it is not thought necessary to describe all thedetails of said mechanism. The controlling mechanism shown is thatemployed in-a well-known make of refrigerators now on'the market and isthe same as that disclosed in application S. N. 146,715 of Bechtold andMellowes, filed February 5, 1917, now Patent No. 1,478,421, datedDecember 25, 1923, in which a pressure actuated mechanism, controlled bya weight 17 is employed for controlling the water valve and in which afluid thermostat located within the refrigerator is employed to operatethe electric switch for controlling the compressing motor. It is to beunderstood, however, that the thermostat herein described is merely usedto exemplify one formof the invention and that equivalent means, whichis adapted to control the operation of the refrigerating apparatus inaccordance with temperature variations or requirements of the apparatusbeing cooled, may be utilized.

As shown,.a diaphragm 18 is adapted to be expanded by fluid pressure tooperate the lever arm 20 on which is secured the weight 21. The forwardend of the arm 20 has attached thereto the weight 22 to which isconnected the link 23 which operates an electric switch located in theswitch box 24.

When the fluid in the thermostat expands it elevates the lever 20 andpermits the weight 22 to carry the switch operating link 23 downwardlyto close the switch and when thefluid in the thermostat cools itcontracts and permits the weight 21 to descend thus causing the link 23to beelevated to open the switch.

The temperatures at which the electric switch is opened and closeddepends upon the adjustment of the control mechanism.

adjustment is not to be disturbed except by,-

or under the supervision of, anexpert. It is often desirable, however,to temporarily adjust the control so that the refrigerator may betemporarily maintained at a considerably lower temperature, as when theuserwishes.

to hasten the freezing process. In order to accomplish this temporaryadjustment-without the assistance of an expert, suitable mechanismarranged within convenient reach of the operator is provided whereby thecontrol mechanism may beadjusted with facility, at the will of theoperator.

In theembodiment disclosed, this mechanism comprises a resilient membersuch as thev spring 25, the lower-end of-which is adapted to beconnected to the outer end of the lever arm 20 by any suitable means,-as

tlie link 26, which extends through an en,

larged opening 26 in said lever arm. The link is provided at its lowerend with nuts whereby the effective operation of said spring ma beproperly adjusted. The upper endo said-spring is adapted to be connectedto the outer end of an arm 27 on the shaft 28. .The shaft 28 isjournaled in'the front. wall 29 ofthe refrigerator and has the endthereof.

operating handle- 30 attached to the front suitable means may beprovided for retaming the handle in adjusted position. As shown, a plateor quadrant 31 havin suitable legends thereon is secured to the frontface of the wall29 and may have the shaft 28 journaled therein. Theplate or quadrant 31 is provided with means for holding the handle 30 inany one of a plu-.

rality of positions. As shown, the plate or quadrant is provided at thesides thereof with the stops 32and 33 for limiting the downward movementof the handle when it is in either extreme position. The lever and armare so arranged that when the arm is on the stop 33 the tension of thespring will hold the handle against said stop. While the handle is shownas being held in, only two positions it is understood that it may beotherwise. I

During the normal operation of the refrigerator the handle 30 is in theposition shown in Fig. 1 in which the spring is not in tension and therod 26 is free to slide through the opening 26' as the lever 20 moves upand 'down during its" normal op eration.

When it is desired that the temperatureof the refrigerator shall belowered in order to hasten the freezlng process, .or, for any otherreason it is desirable to lower the temperature of the refrigerator, thehandle 30 is moved to the right in contact with'thestop 33,'as shown inFig. 2, which will place the spring 25 under tension and will thusassist in supporting the weight 20. This will permit the fluidthermostat to liftfthe -1,eue,sas

weight 21 at lower temperatures to open and close the switch for thecompressing motor and will thus result in materially lowering thetemperature of the interior of the refrigerator. The temperatures atwhich the freezing chamber will noW' be maintained will depend on theadjustment of the tension of the spring 25 but in any event, water,desserts, etc; placed within the refrigerating chamber may be frozen ina much shorter period of time than is possible in the normal operationof the refrigerator.

While the device has been described as being associated withrefrigerators in which the temperature within the refrigerating chamberis normally maintained at a point slightly below the freezing point ofwater, it is understood that it maybe employed on refrigerators in whichthe control has been adjusted to maintain the 'interor thereof at anysuitable temperature. In other words,

by the use of my device, the temperature of a refrigerator. may bematerially lowered over that maintained during its normal operation;

It will be understood that various changes in the form, construction,composition and arrangement of the several parts may be resorted towithout departing from the spirit and scope of my invention; hence I donot wish to limit myself strictly to the structure herein set forth, but

' WhatIclaim is:

tending through a wall of said cabinet and l associated with saidauxiliary means for controlling the latter.

2. Refrigerating apparatus comprising, in combination, a cooling unit,means for circula'ting a refrigerant medium through said unit, controlmeans for automatically controlling said apparatus, said control meansfor normally maintaining a predetermined temperature condition ofsaidcooling unit, auxiliary means for temporarily modifying the actionof the first-mentioned means to obtain temporarily a differenttemperature in said unit, and means for rendering said auxiliary meansoperative, said last named means having adjustable provisions forvarying the effectiveness thereof.-

3. Refrigerating apparatus comprising a having adjustable means forregulating same n effect of said resistance device.

4. Refrigerating apparatus including a cabinet and mechanism forproducing refrigeration therein; control means for automaticallycontrolling said mechanism for ma1n taining the temperature within saidcabinet within predetermined limits; and auxiliary means for modifyingthe action of said mechanism for changing the lower temperature limitwhile maintaining the upper temperature limit unchanged, said auxiliarymeans having provisions for rendering the same inoperative and forautomatically restoring said mechanism to the normal control of saidcontrol means.

5. Refrigerating apparatus including a cabinet and mechanism inclosedwithin the cabinet for producing refrigeration therein, control meansfor-automatically controlling said mechanism for maintaining thetemperature within" said cabinet within predetermined 'limits, saidcontrol means having adjustable means for regulating same, and auxiliarymeans for modifying the action of said mechanism whereby it will operateto maintain temperatures between other limits, said auxiliary meanshaving provisions operable from the exterior of the cabinet, forrendering the'same inoperative and for automatically restoring saidmechanism to, the normal control of said.con-trol means.

6. Refrigerating apparatus including a cabinet and mechanism forproducing refrigeration therein; control means for automaticallycontrolling said mechanism for maintaining the temperature within saidcabinet w1th1n predetermined limits, said means includin meanscooperating with said member for modifying the action-0f said controlmeans to cause operation of the mechanism between other temperaturelimits, said lastment-ioned meanscomprising a resistance deviceconnected with the operating member, and means operable from theexterior of the cabinet for regulating the effect of said resistancedevice.

an operating member, and a resist- .ance means for said operatingmember; and

7. Refrigerating apparatus comprising, 1n combination, a cooling unit,means for circulating refrigerant medium through said unit, controlmeans for automatically controlling said first means for maintaining thetemperature of the unit within predetermined limits, and auxiliary meansfor modifying the action of said first means for changing one of thetemperature limits of the unit while maintaining the other unchanged,said auxiliary means having provisions for rendering the same inoerative and for automatically restoring t e first means to the normalcontrol of said control means.

8. Refrigerating apparatus comprising, in combination, a cooling unit,means for circulating refrigerant medium through said unit, controlmeans for automatically controlling said first means, said control meanshaving adjustable means for regulating same for maintaining thetemperature of unit within predetermined limits, and auxiliary means formodifying the action of said first means for changing one of thetemperature limits of the unit while maintaining the other unchanged. 7

9. Refrigerating apparatus comprising in combination, a cooling unit,means for circulating refrigerant medium thru the unit, means forautomatically controlling the circulating means including adjustablemeans for regulating the control means to maintain normally apredetermined mean temperature of the cooling unit, and means operableindependently of the adjustable means for modifying the operation of thecirculating means. v

10. Refrigerating apparatus comprising in combination, a cooling unit,means for circulating refrigerant medium thru the unit, means forautomatically controlling the circulating means including adjustablemeans for regulating the control means to maintain normally apredetermined mean temperature of the cooling unit, and means operableindependently of the adjustable means for modifying the operation of thecontrol means.

11. Refrigerating apparatus comprising in combination, a cooling unit,means for cyclically circulating a refrigerating medium thru said unit.means for automatically controlling the circulating cycles includingadjustable means for regulating same to normally maintain apredetermined mean temperature of the cooling unit, and means op erableindependent of the adjustable means 7 for modifying the operation of thecirculatmg means.

*In testimony whereofl aflix my si ature.

LLOYD'BLACKM RE.

